The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ratified a proposal to award both the 2024 and 2028 Olympics this summer, paving the way for Los Angeles and Paris to both host the Games. Which city gets 2024 and which gets 2028 is to be decided after further negotiations among both cities and the IOC. LA and Paris both prefer 2024 over 2028. If an agreement can’t be reached, only the normal 2024 Olympic vote will happen in September between LA and Paris, the two remaining 2024 finalists.

The IOC deemed the LA and Paris bids for 2024 so strong that it wanted to grant an Olympics to each city.

“This is a golden opportunity,” IOC president Thomas Bach said of the rare double-awarding proposal by the IOC executive board before it was ratified in Lausanne, Switzerland. “It’s hard to imagine something better.”

The last time two Olympic hosts were determined at once was in 1921, when the 1924 Paris and 1928 Amsterdam Games were awarded, according to Olympstats.com

The U.S. would host its first Olympics since 2002 (and first Summer Games since 1996). Paris would host for the first time since 1924.

What are your thoughts? Where would you like to see the 2024, 2028 Olympic games held?

FiftyFive.One, a Minnesota based soccer news platform, recently posted a story about Minneapolis City midfielder Martin Browne, Jr. In the article, Browne shares his extensive soccer journey from Liberia to Minnesota. The soccer player shares the pinnacle moment he received a call from the Liberia National Football Team coach, James Debbah, offering Browne a possible spot on the team.

“He gave me a call, he liked what he saw, and while he didn’t promise I’d get a chance to play, he said there was an opportunity with the games coming up.”

Martin Browne, Jr.

The article goes on to share a follow-up call from the Liberia National Football Team requesting Browne at the June 11, 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Zimbabwe. “It’s a blessing in disguise, happening now,” Browne said.

Click here to read the original article written by Kyle Eliason. Congratulations to Martin Browne, Jr. and best wishes to Liberia’s National Football Team the Lone Stars.

Martin Browne takes part in a counter attack in a friendly staged ahead of Minneapolis City’s 2016 U.S. Open Cup qualifier. Image courtesy of Daniel Mick.

The Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex was built in 1986 and named after Liberia’s 21st President. As Liberia’s largest stadium, SKD sports complex has served many purposes from concerts to football games and holds a capacity of 35,000.

Renovation to the SKD sports complex was approved in 2013 and is finally complete. Pictures showcasing the new and improved stadium started circulating on May 17th. Among the improvements are increased VIP seating, a new lighting system, a digital scoreboard, a new track, and better restrooms.

Dedication of the updated complex has not been determined, but it is believed to occur in time for the West African Football Union tournament. Liberia is a possible host for the tournament in July.

Photo taken from RCI Sports facebook page.

Photo taken from RCI Sports facebook page.

Photo taken from RCI Sports facebook page.

We hope to see more athletic events happening at the new and improved SKD sports complex in the near future. Kudos to the Liberian Government for completing this project.

On February 8, 1980 , Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali visited Liberia to get support for the Moscow 1980 Summer Olympics boycott. Ali successfully got the country to join. Two months after Ali’s visit, Liberia experienced a coup d’etat.

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The Olympic torch is in Rio and we are hours away from the opening ceremony. Watch the athletes parade into the Olympic Stadium tonight online. Follow @libolympicblog on Twitter for live tweets. Until then, check out our favorite clips of Liberians carrying the flag.